Short answer

Shift from analyzing aggregate consumer groups to understanding individual consumer journeys and decision-making processes over time to create more resonant and effective marketing campaigns and product offerings.

Field: Innovation & Markets
Source: Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science (2023)
Method: Comparative methodological analysis and empirical demonstration
Evidence: Strong effect

Analyzing individual consumer behavior over time (within-person) provides a more accurate understanding of marketing phenomena than comparing different groups of consumers (between-persons). This innovation & markets research insight is drawn from a 2023 study published in Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science. Using Comparative methodological analysis and empirical demonstration, researchers explored how this design variable affects real-world outcomes. The key design takeaway: Shift from analyzing aggregate consumer groups to understanding individual consumer journeys and decision-making processes over time to create more resonant and effective marketing campaigns and product offerings.

Study

Innovation & MarketsRecentStrong effect

Within-Person Research Reveals Deeper Marketing Insights Than Between-Person Studies

Analyzing individual consumer behavior over time (within-person) provides a more accurate understanding of marketing phenomena than comparing different groups of consumers (between-persons).

Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science · 2023

Key Findings

01Theories and relationships can differ when examined at the individual level over time compared to aggregated group levels.
02Within-person research designs are crucial for accurately capturing causal logics in marketing, which are often implicitly assumed in between-persons studies.
03Incorporating within-person approaches can lead to more robust and applicable marketing knowledge.

Application

Design takeaway

How to apply

Implement longitudinal studies or diary methods to track individual consumer interactions with products and brands, and analyze this data for patterns of change and response.

Project actions

01When designing your research, consider if you need to understand how a user's opinion or behavior changes over time, or if comparing different users is sufficient.
02If your project involves user testing, try to get feedback from the same users at multiple points in the design process.

Method & Evidence

AimHow can within-person research designs enhance the development of marketing knowledge and inform marketing practice more effectively than traditional between-persons approaches?

MethodComparative methodological analysis and empirical demonstration

ProcedureThe study contrasts within-person and between-persons research designs, discusses conceptualization and methodological considerations for within-person studies, and applies these principles to an empirical example to illustrate potential differences in findings.

ContextMarketing research and practice

Variables

IVResearch design (within-person vs. between-persons)

DVMarketing knowledge development, marketing practice effectiveness, observed relationships/theories

CVSpecific marketing constructs being studied, participant demographics (in between-person designs)

Strengths & Limitations

Strengths

+Provides a deeper understanding of individual dynamics and causality.
+Addresses a critical gap in current marketing research methodologies.

Limitations

Collecting data from the same individuals repeatedly can be time-consuming and may lead to participant fatigue or changes in behavior due to repeated testing.

Reliability & validity

Within-person studies can enhance internal validity by controlling for stable individual differences, but may face challenges in external validity if the specific context or duration of observation is not representative.

Think critically

In what scenarios might between-person research be sufficient or even preferable to within-person research in a design context, and why?

Design Principles

"Individual variability is a critical factor in understanding and predicting consumer behavior; therefore, research designs should account for within-person changes."

This approach allows for the identification of nuanced consumer responses and decision-making processes that are often masked in aggregate group data. By understanding how individuals change and react, businesses can develop more targeted and effective marketing strategies, leading to improved customer engagement and loyalty.

What This Means for Your Design

Imagine you want to know if a new flavor of ice cream is popular. You could ask 100 people if they like it (between-person), or you could ask the same 10 people to try it every week for a month and tell you how they feel each time (within-person). The second way tells you if people get tired of it, or if they like it more over time, which is a deeper understanding.

How to use in your project

1.Reference this study when justifying the choice of a research methodology that tracks user behavior or opinions over multiple interactions or time periods.

Add to My Project

Quick Cite

Paragraph starter

This research highlights the importance of within-person analysis in understanding user behavior, suggesting that examining individual changes over time can reveal insights not apparent in between-person comparisons. This approach is valuable for design projects aiming to develop products or services that adapt to evolving user needs or preferences.

Source

Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science

How within-person research can extend marketing knowledge

journal · 2023

View source

Questions About This Research

What does the research say about within-person research reveals deeper marketing insights than between-person studies?: Shift from analyzing aggregate consumer groups to understanding individual consumer journeys and decision-making processes over time to create more resonant and effective marketing campaigns and product offerings. Evidence: Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science (2023).
Why does "Within-Person Research Reveals Deeper Marketing Insights Than Between-Person Studies" matter for design?: This approach allows for the identification of nuanced consumer responses and decision-making processes that are often masked in aggregate group data. By understanding how individuals change and react, businesses can develop more targeted and effective marketing strategies, leading to improved customer engagement and loyalty.
How can designers apply this research?: Shift from analyzing aggregate consumer groups to understanding individual consumer journeys and decision-making processes over time to create more resonant and effective marketing campaigns and product offerings.
What were the main findings?: Theories and relationships can differ when examined at the individual level over time compared to aggregated group levels.. Within-person research designs are crucial for accurately capturing causal logics in marketing, which are often implicitly assumed in between-persons studies.. Incorporating within-person approaches can lead to more robust and applicable marketing knowledge.
What research method was used?: Comparative methodological analysis and empirical demonstration.
How strong is the evidence?: Evidence strength is rated Strong effect, based on a 2023 journal from Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science.
What should I do differently in my next project?: Implement longitudinal studies or diary methods to track individual consumer interactions with products and brands, and analyze this data for patterns of change and response.
What are the limitations?: The complexity of designing and analyzing within-person studies can be a barrier; findings may not always generalize to all market segments without further investigation.